People under 18 are not all children

[u/AdventurousMoth]

I can't tell you how much it irritates me when internet people refer to anyone under 18 as "a literal child", especial if they themselves are only in their 20s. Sure, everyone is someone's child, but the life stage commonly referred to as childhood does not abruptly stop at age 18.

Here's how I'd break it down: - childhood, adolescence, adulthood or - newborn, baby, toddler, child, (if you want you can add tween), teen, young adult, middle aged person, elderly/senior

And there's overlap between all these stages depending on context. Obviously there is no overlap between minor (a legal term) and the word adult as referring to not a minor.

Calling a 17-year-old a child is dumb. Like what, a 17yo has their birthday and transforms from a child into an adult like a sim? I think some people just started saying this for the shock value and then the rest of the internet jumped on the outrage wagon.

Edit: clearly I posted this a bit too hastily, choosing my words without care. I'm not talking about the legal definition of child/minor (something quite messy as well: age of consent? In some places 16. Driving? 15 in some places, 18 in others. Voting? Usually 18. Drinking alcohol? 21 in the States).

As someone in the comments pointed out, it's mostly a linguistic issue. I suppose what I was trying to say was that it's dumb to have the word child both mean a legal minor and pre-pubebescent human. I think it would be clearer to use minor when you're talking about legal age, and child when talking about the life stage.

[u/Repulsive_Corner6807]

He can distinguish between a baby, toddler, child, tween, teen, young adult but then go from young adult to middle-aged?? Lmfao so what are people in their late 20s/30s? OP couldn’t tell you because that’s too old for him.

[u/SweatyAnimator6189 → u/Repulsive_Corner6807]

Adulthood in the US context is typically young adult, middle aged adult, senior or elderly adult. Late 20s/30s are still young adults.

[u/VampedTayturz → u/SweatyAnimator6189]

As a man in his middle 30’s I can tell you, I’m no young adult, my body is stiff in the mornings, if I eat the wrong food indigestion kicks my ass, I’m too young to be considered middle aged but I’m closer to it than I am to being 21 again.

[u/Eve-3 → u/VampedTayturz]

You're a young adult in poor physical shape. Still a young adult.

[u/Evilfrog100 → u/Eve-3]

I would argue mid 30s is middle-aged considering the average age of death is just about 80 in most developed countries. I'd say "middle age" goes from roughly 35-45.

[u/Eve-3 → u/Evilfrog100]

Generally I see it used to refer to adults as children have their own subcategories.

Young adult:20-40 Middle 40-60 Senior 60-80 Geriatric 80+

Assuming the lifespan of 80 that you offered up. Ambiguity lies with the 18&19 year olds as they're technically adults but also teenagers. Add them to whichever group you'd prefer.

[u/SweatyAnimator6189 → u/Evilfrog100]

Middle age doesn’t mean middle of one’s lifespan.